Showcase lighting fixture



Nov. 9, 1954 H. E. WILLIAMS SHOWCASE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 11 1950 Af/arneyx United States Patent SHOWCASE LIGHTING FIXTURE Harold E. Williams, Carthage, Mo.

Application February 11, 1950, Serial No. 143,683

6 Claims. (Cl. 240-'-6) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in showcase lighting fixtures, and has particular reference to that class of fixtures which are not attached to the showcase structure, but which are movable in said showcase.-

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a lighting fixture of the character described comprising a planar base adapted to rest on the floor of a. showcase, and a vertical standard carrying a light bulb or the like attached at its. lower end to said base, said standard being adjustable from a central position on said base to a positionadjacent the edge of said base, whereby said standard may be positioned in the extreme corner of a showcase without said base interfering with the walls of said showcase.-

Another object is the provision of a lighting fixture of the class described wherein the standard is specially formed to fit into the corner of a showcase and to be adequately supported thereby.

A further object is the provision of means for tilting said standard relative to said base, whereby said standard will be caused to fit properly in the corner of the showcase, compensating for irregularities in the showcase floor and the like.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease and convenience of adjustment, and adaptability fora wide variety of uses.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will apear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a showcase, showing a. lighting fixture embodying the present invention positioned in an internal corner thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section of the parts shown in Fig. 1, taken intermediate the ends of the lighting tube.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line III-III of Fig. 2, with parts left in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base of the lighting fiX- ture.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line VV of Fig. 4

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies to a fragmentary showing of an ordinary showcase including side walls 4 which meet normally at right angles, a top wall 6, and a floor 8. The side and top walls are normally formed of glass for transparency. Although the particular structure of the showcase forms no part of the present invention, it will be noted that the joints of said side walls and top wall are usually permanently cemented. This provides a cogent reason for using lighting fixtures which are not permanently mounted in the case, since the disassembly of the case to mount lighting fixtures permanently involves considerable danger of breaking the glass walls.

The lighting fixture forming the present invention comprises a base and a standard 12 attached to said base. Base 10 comprises a substantially square sheet metal member having its marginal edge portion offset downwardly as at 14, whereby when said base is placed on the showcase floor 8, the central portion thereof will be supported in spaced relation above said floor. A hole 16 is formed centrally in said base, and holes 18 and 20 are formed in said base respectively adjacent opposite corners thereof, as best shown in Fig. 4. Holes 16, 18, and 20 are adapted to receive screws for purposes here- 2 inafter appearing. A portion of base 10 is struck upwardly to form a flat spring 22, said spring extending radially in the base, having its fixed end adjacent central hole 16 and its free end adjacent hole 20. Adjacent its free end, said spring is formed to present an upwardly projecting base or detent 24.

Standard 12 is disposed substantially vertically, and is elongated in form. It includes a channel-shaped sheet metal body member 26 of uniform cross-sectional shape. As best shown in Fig. 2, said body member opens inwardly toward the showcase, and is provided along its back with longitudinal planar portions 28 and 30 disposed parallel to the axis of the body member and at right angles to each other, whereby said standard will fit snugly into a vertical corner of the showcase and be supported firmly thereby against tilting in either of two vertical planes. Although the particular lighting means mounted in the standard forms no part of the present invention, the drawing shows a fluorescent tube 32 mounted axially in the upper portion of said standard with an elliptical reflector 34 mounted therebehind to reflect light from said tube outwardly into the showcase. The bottom portion 36 of the standard may be utilized to contain ballast and starting equipment, or other equipment necessary for the operation of fluorescent tube 32.

Body member 12 is provided at its lower end with an end plate 38, as best shown in Fig. 3. Said end plate is disposed atrightangles to the axis of the body member, and is adapted to rest on base 10. Said end plate is provided with an internally threaded boss 40. -A headed screw 42 is a'dapted to be passed upwardly through hole 2d of the base and threaded into boss 4t thereby securing the standard to the base. End plate 38 is also provided with an indentation 44 adapted to receive boss 24 of flat spring 22 when the standard is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the fixture is substantially as'follows: If screw 42 is positioned in central hole 16 of the base, the standard will be approximately centered on the base, and will be properly supported by the base when positioned in spaced-apart relation from the walls of a showcase or the like. The standard may be turned axially about screw 42 to direct light in any desired direction. If desired, hold-down screws may be passed through holes 18 and 20 and secured in the floor 8 to position the fixture securely. In this manner fixtures may be placed about a showcase or the like at will, in order to procure the most desirable lighting of displays. If it is desired to place the fixture in the corner of a showcase as shown, screw 42 is passed through hole 20 of the base and threaded into boss 40, and the standard is turned until boss 24 of spring 22 engages indentation 44 of end plate 38. This will secure standard 12 against rotation relative to the base in such a position that portions 28 and 30 of body member 26 lie in the vertical planes of adjoining edges of the base. The fixture may then be positioned in an internal vertical corner of a showcase as shown, and base 10 will not interfere with the side walls 4 of the showcase. If, due to tilting of the showcase floor 8 or other cause, the standard exhibits a tendency to lean away from the showcase walls, screw 42 may be loosened slightly. Spring 22 will then urge the forward edge of end plate 38 upwardly, thereby tilting standard 12 toward the showcase walls. In many cases it is desirable to leave screw 42 loose at all times, in order that standard 12 will be urged into the corner of the showcase with a positive force at all times. Holes 16 and 18 of the base may be utilized for receiving holddown screws if desired. Boss 24 will always be held in engagement with indentation 44 of the standard by the spring 22.

While I have shown a specific embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that the scope of the invention includes many possible variations. For example, base 10 and standard 12 could be formed to fit in showcases having other than right-angled corners. A greater number of indentations 44 could be used for selectively positioning the standard at various phases of its rotation relative to the base. Various connecting and spring means could be interposed between the base and the standard. These and other minor modifications of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A showcase lighting fixture comprising a substantially planar base having a substantially right-angled corner adapted to rest on the floor of a showcase, a vertically disposed light carrying standard resting at its lower end on said base, and a lighting fixture carried in said standard, said standard enclosing said lighting fixture entirely therein'and having a pair of right-angled vertical surfaces whereby said standard will fit against the side walls of said showcase at a corner thereof, said vertical surfaces lying respectively in the vertical planes of the right-angled edges of said base, and means for securing said standard to said base.

2. A showcase lighting fixture comprising a substantially planar base having a substantially right-angled corner adapted to rest on the floor of a showcase, a vertically disposed light-carrying standard resting at its lower end on said base, and a lighting fixture carried in said standard, said standard enclosing said lighting fixture entirely therein and having a pair of right-angled vertical surfaces whereby said standard will fit against the side walls of said showcase at a corner thereof, and means for selectively securing said standard to said base either centrally thereon or adjacent the right-angled corner of said base whereby the vertical right-angled surfaces of said standard are disposed respectively in the vertical planes of the right-angled edges of said base.

3. A showcase lighting fixture comprising a planar base adapted to rest on the floor of a showcase, and a vertically disposed light-carrying standard secured pivotally at its lower end to said base, said standard being shaped to conform to the side walls of a showcase at an inner corner thereof and overhanging the marginal edge of said base, and resilient means carried by said base and urging said standard pivotally outwardly from said base.

4. A showcase lighting fixture comprising a substantially planar base having a substantially right-angled corner adapted to rest on the floor of a showcase, and a vertically disposed light-carrying standard resting at its lower end on said base, said standard having a pair of rightangled normally vertical surfaces whereby said standard will fit against the side walls of said showcase at a corner thereof, said vertical surfaces normally lying respectively in the vertical planes of the right-angled edges of said base, means securing said standard pivotally to said base, and a spring carried by said base and urging said standard pivotally outwardly from the right-angled corner of said base.

5. A showcase lighting fixture comprising a substantially planar base having a substantially right-angled corner adapted to rest on the floor of a showcase, and a vertically disposed light carrying standard resting at its lower end on said base, said standard having a pair of rightangled normally vertical surfaces whereby said standard will fit against the side walls of said showcase at a corner thereof, said vertical surfaces normally lying respectively in the vertical planes of the right-angled edges of said base, a screw passing vertically through said base and engaging said standard, whereby said standard is secured loosely to said base for pivotal movement from the vertical, and a flat resilient spring struck from said base and engaging the lower end of said standard in spaced relation from said screw, whereby said standard is urged pivotally outwardly from the right-angled corner of said base.

6. A showcase lighting fixture comprising a substantially planar base having a substantially right-angled corner adapted to rest on the floor of a showcase, and a vertically disposed light-carrying standard resting at its lower end on said base, said standard having a pair of rightangled vertical surfaces whereby said standard will fit against, the side walls of said showcase at a corner thereof, a screw adapted to be passed selectively through one of a plurality of holes formed in said base and to engage said standard to secure said standard to said base for rotation on a vertical axis and limited pivotal movement from vertical, whereby said standard may be positioned centrally on said base or adjacent the right-angled corner thereof, a spring carried by said base and adapted to engage the lower end of said standard when said standard is in the latter position to urge said standard pivotally outwardly from the right-angled corner of said base, and a detent carried by said spring and engaging a recess formed in said standard to secure said standard against rotation with the vertical right-angled surfaces thereof disposed in parallel relation with the right-angled edges of said base.

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